The Heresy of an Unclean Christ

By Jonathan Everhart

This is a brief article aimed at edifying readers and addressing certain misunderstandings regarding Christ’s "uncleanness". I hope to clarify and correct a subtle but persistent heresy that misrepresents the purity and holiness of Jesus. By examining Scripture and the context of ritual purity, our faith and understanding are strengthened.

How can Jesus be divine yet defiled? In an article titled "The 10 Most Criticized Passages in the Reina Valera 1960 (and Their Responses)", which can be found at this link https://www.literaturabautista.com/los-10-pasajes-mas-criticados-en-la-reina-valera-1960-y-sus-replicas/, the author, Calvin George, makes a nonchalant claim that Jesus was unclean and attempts to defend a poor reading in the Reina Valera 1960 Spanish Bible, which reads in Luke 2:22, “And when the days of their purification [Mary and Jesus] according to the law of Moses, they brought him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord.”

The KJV reads correctly, “the days of her purification.” Some go to great lengths, even claiming Christ was impure, to defend this faulty reading. I have translated the author’s statements into English because, at the time of the article’s writing, Spanish was the only available language.

The author states:

“Vindication: It is necessary to understand from the beginning that the passage refers to ceremonial purification according to the law required after childbirth, not purification after having sinned. If the purification in Luke 2:22 were about purification from sin, then one would be implicitly saying that Mary had to be purified from her sin as a result of giving birth to Jesus. In light of Psalm 51:5 (‘…in sin did my mother conceive me’), this would be an improper viewpoint…”

According to Leviticus 15:19, when a woman was unclean, “whoever touches her shall be unclean until evening.” Even touching the bed of such a woman constituted uncleanness (Lev. 15:21). According to Leviticus 12:2, when a woman gave birth, she became unclean. Since the mother would naturally have physical contact with the newborn every day, the child, by logic, would also be unclean with her until the ritual was completed. The ritual purification was only a figure of the purification of the heart from sin (Heb. 9:13–14, 23).

The author is “by logic” concluding that Christ is unclean. Let’s examine this logically and, more importantly, scripturally:

The author stated that “the ritual purification was ONLY a figure of the purification of the heart from sin.” We know that Jesus needed no purification from sin, whether regarding the sin itself or figuratively. Claiming otherwise taints the image of Christ, which is unacceptable. Christ was never ceremonially impure. His figure never so much as cast a shadow of uncleanness.

The author is “by logic” adding to the Scriptures. Let’s look at Leviticus 12. It speaks only of the mother’s purity. Whether the child was a boy or a girl, it says about the mother: “her purification” and “her infirmity.”

"And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a woman have conceived seed, and born a man child: then she shall be unclean seven days; according to the days of the separation for her infirmity shall she be unclean. And in the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. And she shall continue in the blood of her purifying three and thirty days; she shall touch no hallowed thing, nor come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purifying be fulfilled. But if she bear a maid child, then she shall be unclean two weeks, as in her separation; and she shall continue in the blood of her purifying threescore and six days. And when the days of her purifying are fulfilled, for a son, or for a daughter, she shall bring a lamb of the first year for a burnt offering, and a young pigeon or a turtledove for a sin offering, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, unto the priest: Who shall offer it before the LORD, and make an atonement for her; and she shall be clean from the issue of her blood. This is the law for her that hath born a male or a female. And if she be not able to bring a lamb, then she shall bring two turtles, or two young pigeons; the one for a burnt offering, and the other for a sin offering: and the priest shall make an atonement for her, and she shall be clean." Leviticus 12:1–8

It could not be more obvious! Scripture is very clear! The purification law applied to the mother, not Jesus. Even the original 1569 Reina and 1602 Valera Bibles in Luke 2:22 reads “the purification of Mary”. The 1909 Spanish Bible also says “days of her purification.”

You will not find any instance in the Bible where Jesus performed any purification ritual for Himself. He perfectly obeyed the law and fulfilled it, but there was no requirement for Him to perform any ritual purification because He remained undefiled. This is a glorious truth and picture that must not be tainted.

Consider some demonstrations of this glory:

Jesus touched a leper, which would have made Him unclean according to the law. Even accidental contact with the unclean caused uncleanness. Yet when He touched the leprous man, the leper became clean (Matthew 8:2–3):

And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.

Jesus touched the corpse of a young girl, which would have made Him ceremonially unclean. But in Him we see vitality, not violation, and we beheld His glory (Mark 5:41–42):

And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise. And straightway the damsel arose and walked; for she was of the age of twelve years.

Jesus was touched by the woman with an issue of blood, which according to the law would have made Him unclean. Instead of pollution, we see purity, as virtue went out of Him (Mark 5:25–34):

And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years… When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment… And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague. And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes? … And he said unto her, Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace, and be whole of thy plague.

He was manifested to take away our sins. Behold His glory. The touch of Jesus transforms uncleanness into wholeness, sin into righteousness, and death into life.